Children’s relationship with technology has always been a subject of intrigue, anxiety, and debate. In the latest shift, AI chatbots are emerging not just as tools for school assignments, but as companions and advice-givers, often blurring the lines between technology and friendship. As digital conversational agents like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Replika weave themselves into daily routines, a growing number of kids—especially those considered vulnerable—are forming complex relationships with these systems, often without adequate oversight from parents, educators, or policymakers. Understanding the risks and rewards of this new digital landscape is crucial for anyone interested in the future of child welfare, digital literacy, and online safety.
The Surging Appeal of AI Chatbots Among Kids
AI chatbots’ proliferation in children’s lives is no longer a fringe phenomenon. According to a comprehensive report by Internet Matters, over two-thirds of UK children aged 9 to 17 have used an AI chatbot in the past year and a half. Usage rates are highest among those labeled as “vulnerable”—kids struggling with loneliness, bullying, or mental health issues—where adoption reaches an astonishing 71%, compared to 62% among their peers.The data notably shows a spike in the use of “companion bots” such as Replika and Character.ai among these groups. Unlike utility-focused AI, companion bots are designed specifically to mimic emotional conversations, offering digital empathy, advice, and sometimes even playful banter. Vulnerable children are nearly three times more likely to gravitate toward these than other children, underlining the bots’ perceived value as virtual friends or confidantes.
The appeal is multi-faceted. ChatGPT leads the pack, with 43% of children using it, followed closely by Google Gemini at 32% and Snapchat’s My AI at 31%. While these platforms initially gained prominence for homework help or quick answers to trivia, the latest findings suggest that children are increasingly turning to them for something deeper: emotional support and social interaction.
Beyond Homework: Advice, Friendship, and Solitude
A striking finding from the report is the extent to which children seek emotional and social support from AI. Nearly a quarter say they’ve asked an AI bot for advice on personal matters. A third feel that interacting with these bots is akin to talking to a real friend. For vulnerable children, this number climbs even higher, with half describing the bot as “friend-like.”The implications are both touching and troubling. One in eight children reported using AI because they “didn’t have anyone else to talk to.” That rate jumps to one in four among vulnerable children. While this highlights the potential of AI to bridge social gaps, it also signals a deficiency in human connections and raises questions about technology’s role as a surrogate for genuine relationships.
The rise of “AI friendship” also coincides with greater experimentation around identity and self-expression. Chatbots, unlike human peers, offer non-judgmental feedback and 24/7 availability, making them an attractive sounding board for sensitive topics, fears, or aspirations.
The Double-Edged Sword: Helpfulness or Harm?
The benefits of AI chatbots for children are undeniable: instant access to information, social support for those feeling isolated, and opportunities to develop digital literacy skills. However, these positives are counterbalanced by significant risks.Accuracy and Trustworthiness
A key concern is the reliability of information. The report notes that 58% of children say they prefer asking AI bots questions over Googling them. This reliance can be problematic, as chatbots have been shown to hallucinate facts, deliver outdated information, or oversimplify complex matters. Children may not always have the critical thinking skills to question or validate an AI-supplied answer, increasing the risk of misinformation on issues ranging from schoolwork to sensitive personal topics.Verification from independent research reinforces this concern. Studies published by organizations such as the Center for Humane Technology have demonstrated that GPT-style chatbots can confidently provide inaccurate responses, especially when asked about topics outside their training data or when prompts are ambiguous. Tech monitoring platforms like Common Sense Media have also warned about the difficulty children face in distinguishing between an AI’s “confident wrong answers” and genuine expertise.
Exposure to Explicit or Harmful Content
Another critical risk area is the potential for exposure to age-inappropriate or explicit content. User testing outlined in the Internet Matters report—and echoed in research from the UK’s Ofcom—reveals that widely used bots like ChatGPT and Snapchat’s My AI sometimes serve up material meant strictly for adults. In some scenarios, content filters were either bypassed or failed to activate, leaving children vulnerable to disturbing material or dangerous advice.As regulatory bodies and platform developers race to shore up safeguards, the fragmented and sometimes experimental nature of AI chatbot development means that no system is failproof. Children’s growing fluency in digital platforms often enables them to circumvent restrictions, especially if motivated by curiosity or a sense of privacy.
Emotional Dependency and Social Skills
Perhaps the most subtle risk is the potential for emotional dependency and stunted social development. As bots become more sophisticated at mimicking human empathy and maintaining conversation, some psychologists warn that over-reliance on digital companionship may exacerbate feelings of isolation or delay the acquisition of essential interpersonal skills. While chatbots can offer comfort, they do not replace the unpredictability or depth of real human relationships.Longitudinal data on the mental health impacts of AI friendship among children is still sparse. Early signals from behavioral science, however, suggest that regular engagement with conversational AI can alter expectations around communication, emotional feedback, and conflict resolution. When the AI is always kind, always available, and never truly challenged, realistic social learning may suffer.
Adult Oversight: Falling Behind the Curve
As children’s use and reliance on AI chatbots surges, adult oversight has struggled to keep pace. According to the Internet Matters report, while a majority of children (over 57%) report their parents have spoken to them about AI, these discussions are typically superficial. Only a third of parents have engaged in conversations about the accuracy, privacy, or safety of these tools, despite widespread acknowledgement of their importance.This finding is consistent with surveys conducted by the Family Online Safety Institute and other digital literacy NGOs, which reveal stark generational gaps in AI knowledge and comfort levels. For many parents, the technical complexity of AI, combined with a sense of inevitability around its usage, leads to vague warnings or passive acceptance.
Schools fare only slightly better. Just over half of children surveyed reported any discussion of AI within the classroom, and only 18% said those discussions were ongoing or recurring. Given the accelerated pace of AI adoption and the evolving risks, these figures point to an urgent need for more thorough digital literacy education.
Towards Solution: Shared Responsibility
The report’s most important insight is its recommendation for a shared, multi-level approach to keeping children safe in the age of chatbots. This “shared responsibility” model recognizes the limitations of technical solutions alone and underscores the importance of collaboration across families, industry, schools, and government.Stronger Industry Controls and Transparency
Tech companies are called upon to implement much stronger parental controls, including more granular age verification, content filtering, and the ability for guardians to monitor or limit chatbot interactions. Transparency is crucial: parents and children should be given clear information about what content is accessible, how data is handled, and the limitations of current safety mechanisms.Major platforms are beginning to respond. OpenAI, for example, has rolled out optional “teen mode” content filters and more robust reporting tools on ChatGPT. Google Gemini offers family link integration for child accounts, and Snapchat’s My AI provides a parent guide with advice on settings and conversations. However, the patchwork nature of these efforts—and their varying degrees of enforcement—means that families must navigate a complex array of controls, often without expert support.
Policy and Regulatory Evolution
Government action is also needed to ensure tech companies maintain minimum safety standards and to clarify the legal responsibilities surrounding youth data and chatbot interactions. In the UK, the Online Safety Act is a major step in this direction, requiring platforms to mitigate risks and provide pathways for reporting harmful content. However, enforcement and adaptation to rapid technological change remain significant hurdles.Internationally, approaches vary, with some countries taking a more hands-on approach (including bans or heavy restrictions on certain chatbot features for minors) and others prioritizing education and corporate cooperation.
AI Education at Every Level
Experts universally agree on the need for robust, age-appropriate digital literacy education embedded in school curricula from an early age. This education should cover not just technical basics and safety protocols, but also critical thinking: how to evaluate an AI’s response, the importance of verifying information, and when to seek help from humans rather than machines.Teacher training is equally vital. Many educators report feeling unprepared to address AI-related issues in class, either due to lack of training or an absence of clear guidelines. Professional development initiatives and resource-sharing platforms can help bridge this gap and equip teachers to guide students safely through the digital landscape.
Empowering Parents and Families
Parental involvement remains a lynchpin for safe AI use among kids. This doesn’t just mean enforcing screen time limits or checking browser histories. Parents must be empowered to have honest, ongoing conversations about technology—not only about risks, but about the opportunities for learning, creativity, and growth that AI can provide when used responsibly.Family workshops, online resources, and partnerships with schools can all play a role in building parental confidence and awareness. Crucially, parents should encourage critical dialogue at home, nurturing children’s ability to reflect on their own AI use, question what bots tell them, and recognize when digital support cannot replace human care.
Strengths of AI Chatbots in Children’s Lives
Despite the legitimate risks, the positive impacts of AI chatbots for children deserve careful recognition:- Instant Access to Learning: Chatbots can clarify complex topics in ways tailored to a child’s level, potentially supplementing uneven access to tutoring or parental help.
- Available Companionship: For isolated or shy children, bots can serve as a first step toward expressing emotions, role-playing conversations, or practicing language skills.
- Inclusivity: Chatbots can adapt to various communication styles, making them accessible to children with disabilities or those learning new languages.
- Early Digital Literacy: Exposure to AI introduces children to technology-critical thinking and digital ethics at a formative stage.
The Future of AI Companionship: Opportunities and Warnings
As conversational AI continues to evolve and become more deeply embedded in the lives of young people, the central challenge is balance. With thoughtful regulation, improved industry safeguards, parental guidance, and high-quality education, chatbots can offer meaningful support and learning. Left unchecked, however, they risk amplifying loneliness, spreading misinformation, and exposing children to serious harm.The next few years will be pivotal. Key questions remain unanswered: How will AI models adapt to children’s emotional and developmental needs? Will industry leaders put children’s safety before engagement metrics and profits? Can educational initiatives keep up with the rapid shifts in technology?
Children’s reliance on chatbots for advice, companionship, and sometimes their most vulnerable moments is no longer the exception—it’s quickly becoming the rule. The responsibilities of adults have never been clearer, nor the risks of inaction greater. Empowering kids to use AI wisely demands urgency, vigilance, and above all, a willingness to listen—to children, to researchers, and to one another.
Takeaway: Embrace, Educate, and Evolve
AI chatbots are here to stay. The genie will not go back into the bottle. For children, the line between digital and real life is fluid, and technology is increasingly a source of not only answers but friendship, empathy, and support. Ensuring a safe relationship with AI is a collective endeavor. By embracing new tools—and their challenges—while providing robust education and oversight, families and societies can help children harness AI’s benefits without falling prey to its pitfalls.For Windows enthusiasts, educators, and parents alike, recognizing both the promise and peril of AI chatbots is no longer optional—it’s a matter of digital survival and human flourishing in an AI-augmented world.
Source: Windows Report Kids Are Using AI Chatbots for More Than Homework, Often Without Enough Oversight
